Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1934)

The Leading Daily Newspaper of the Motion* Picture Industry MOTION PICTURE DAILY Alert, Intelligent and Faithful Service the Industry in All Branches VOL. 35. NO. 5 NEW YORK. SATURDAY, JANUARY 6, 1934 TEN CENTS Guild Elated By Chance to Act on Code Writers to Name 10 for Committee Choices Hollywood, Jan. 5. — Describing it as a notable victory for the Writers' Guild, Ralph Block, acting president, has informed the organization that it has been vested with authority to supervise the nomination of screen writers' representatives on code problems, which means virtual recognition of the guild by producers. Since a majority of the writers are members of the guild, it is regarded as a virtual certainty that the code representatives will come from its ranks. Ten will be named, and from this group Division Administrator Sol A. Rosenblatt will select five to meet with producers' representatives for the adjudication of all writers' problems which may arise under the administration of the code. One writer will also be named to the Code Authority and another to the agents' committee. The choices will be made Jan. 15. A nominating committee is now at work. 'With this official recognition, guild members see a hope of gaining their two major objectives — collective bargaining and a basic standard contract. Bulletin by Casey Stirs Guild's Ire Hollywood, Jan. 5. — Perturbed over their interpretation of Pat Casey's first official bulletin to producers concerning the code application to extras, the Actors' Guild has dispatched to Division Administrator Sol A. Rosenblatt the following telegram: "Bulletin No. 1, issued to all producers by Pat Casey to govern conduct of the studios with regard to extras, will be handed you by Eddie Cantor. It is an insolent attempt by the studios to evade the code. In the case of bit players and extras the code (Continued on page 3) Not a Tie-up Paramount Distributing Corp. is now in the liquor business in Brooklyn, only the company has nothing to do with the corporation which sells Paramount pictures. Exhibitors Query Authority On Final Date for Signing Numerous queries were received by members of the Code Authority yesterday from exhibitors and others in the industry throughout the country seeking information as to when code assent forms would be ready. The telegrams were sent in view of the proximity of the original date, Jan. 10. All wires were answered yesterday after it had been definitely established by the authority on Wednesday evening that midnight, Jan. 31, would be the new deadline for compliance returns to be in the mail and midnight, Jan. 20, as the last day for sending in recommendations to the 64 clearance and zoning and grievance boards. Saenger Case Settled; 1st on Overbuying Washington, Jan. 5. — Satisfactory settlement of the first case of overbuying brought before the attention of Division Administrator Sol A. Rosenblatt was announced today by the Recovery Administration. The case involved 206 features purchased by the Saenger circuit. Al Yoeman of Meridian, Miss., was the other party. Eighty-five per cent of the complaints reaching the division administrator re(Continued on page 3) New Union to Seek Government Probe A Federal investigation of alleged code violations by members of an independent exhibitors' organization here will be sought by Local 118, Building Service Employes Union, which charges through Charles C. Levey, secretary, that janitors are worked as much as 84 hours a week by the houses in question. Levey said that the 25-cent-an-hour minimum code wage had been made the maximum for practically all ush (Continued on page 3) Union Probes Code Violations in K. C. Kansas City, Jan. 5. — Investigation of reported violations of code labor provisions is under way in this area by the I. A. T. S. E., according to union officials here. William C. Elliott, I. A. T. S. E. president, has detailed Walter S. Croft, his assistant and international representative, (Continued on page 3) Pay Queries May Go Out Coming Week Washington, Jan. 5. — Returning to Washington this morning after nearly a week in New York, Division Administrator Sol A. Rosenblatt resumed consideration of the salary questionnaire which will be sent out to the industry as the initial step in the investigation ordered by the President in his approval of the code in November. The questionnaire, it was said, will probably be ready for distribution some time next week. NRA to Give More Time to Sign Forms Washington, Jan. 5. — Recovery Administration officials today were considering an extension of the time within which distributors and exhibitors may file their assent to the code. It is expected that an order fixing a time which will be sufficient for the blanks to reach the coast and be returned will be issued within the next day or so by Administrator Hugh S. Johnson. It is believed the final date for the filing of acceptances will be fixed as Jan. 31. Authorities to Meet On Code Complaints Washington, Jan. 5. — Members of all code authorities are expected to be called to Washington next month by General Hugh S. Johnson for a full discussion of matters relating to compliance and complaints, it was made known today at the Recovery Administration. Representatives of well over (Continued on page 3) Grosses End Katz-Rowland Option on "IT Laemmle, Grainger Say Company Now Clear Hollywood, Jan. 5. — Admitting that an option on the company had been held by Sam Katz and Richard A. Rowland, Carl Laemmle, Sr., and James R. Grainger declared prior to the latter's departure for the east Thursday night that Universal is now clear and above all options for some time to come. Both of them stressed the statement the company is sound insofar as both production and sales are concerned. They dismissed the story of the KatzRowland option, widely reported in the last few months, by conceding its one-time existence until along came "Counselor-at-Law," "Only Yesterday" and "The Invisible Man," when the price went up. There have been options in other years, they stated, citing the existence of one, held by parties not named, until "The Beasts of Berlin" hit the release and told of another which disappeared, too, when Universal released "All Quiet on the Western Front." Grainger returns here in May, when the final seven of the company's schedule of 36 will go into production for completion by August. Ten are slated for completion between now and May. G. T. E. -Chase Pact Is Filed in Court Wilmington, Jan. 5. — A proposed compromise agreement with the Chase National Bank of New York has been filed in the Chancery Court here by U. S. Senator Daniel O. Hastings, Wilmington receiver for General Theatre Equipment, Inc. The hearing has been fixed for Feb. 23. The proposed plan provides that the Chase Bank is to reduce its claims (Continued on page 3) Mickey to Blush London, Jan. 5. — Eventually, Mickey Mouse will be made in Technicolor like the Silly Symphonies, Joseph M. Schenck told a sales convention of British United Artists.